Ready for take-off

Superb weather, enthusiastic participants: Austria's airshow got under way at 9am, the start of a day of superlatives.

Shortly before 9am Aichfeld was roused from its slumber by the wake-up call of the Eurofighter. The highlights will now come in quick succession throughout the day: visitors can expect to see almost all of the Armed Forces' aircraft, the unique fleet of the Flying Bulls, some of the best aerobatic display teams in Europe and many other highlights besides.

AIRPOWER16 got under way at 9am – and started on a real high: with the first joint display involving the slowest and the fastest forms of flight, a meeting of an Armed Forces Eurofighter, an Alpha Jet belonging to the Flying Bulls and a hot-air balloon in the shape of the Green Heart of Styria.

Fans can now look forward to two action-packed airshow days in ideal weather: "The early morning low stratus has lifted, and we're expecting ideal weather for flying and for the event itself on both days," said Peter Parson, head of the Zeltweg weather briefing station. "There will be a mixture of sunshine and cloud with pleasant temperatures of around 25 degrees – the conditions couldn't be better!"